Cold Cases
by briroch
Summary: When Steve's life and reputation is under threat, Mike Stone needs the help of Chief Ironside and his team.
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N**__: This is my first crossover story, inspired by my dear friend Mounty Swiss, who made sure that the Ironside characters behave according to the series. _

_**Ironside fans, beware**__- I write Streets of San Francisco, so you might find that these characters try to steal lines and the limelight. I have noticed that it is almost impossible to create equally good roles for six heroes. _

_Last, but certainly not least- a big thank you to Meixel, for Beta reading this story._

_**Disclaimer: I **__do not own any characters from __**Streets of San Francisco**__ or __**Ironside**__, I only play with them for a little while and try and return them in reasonable condition…_

_**Chapter 1**_

Ironside and his team were sitting around the table, all notes of the last case they had successfully solved spread out, waiting to be assembled into a binder and filed away.

"Where's Stone? He promised to drop over with the missing copies and photos. I want this out of the way..." Ironside grumbled, pointing at the piles of paper.

"Yeah, to make room for more!" his personal assistant Mark quipped. "I thought we'd keep the table free for dinner for a few days."

"Yeah- dinners that involve more than a bowl for Chilli..." tall Sergeant Brown said with a dreamy expression on his face.

"Anything wrong with Chilli?" Ironside growled.

"No, sir!" Ed retraced immediately. "Nothing at all."

He was saved from further comments by a knock on the door. Lieutenant Mike Stone and a slightly bedraggled looking Steve Keller entered the room.

"About time!" Ironside greeted his visitors.

"And a good day to you too, Bob!" Mike retorted. "The photos are still wet, straight from the lab. The guys were busy running off some prints for a new case. I told Barney you would surely understand." He added with a sweet smile.

Ironside could barely suppress a smile himself. Sometimes it was hard to keep up the reputation of being gruff.

Eve, the beautiful blond, well dressed policewoman observed young Keller with puzzlement. The normally talkative and flirtatious young man was uncharacteristically quiet. Eve had looked forward to a bit of friendly banter and some well placed compliments- after all, a girl in Chief Ironside's team has to get her due admiration somewhere...

Almost on cue the young Inspector started sneezing violently. His older partner eyed him with a mixture of concern and mild consternation. Steve patted his pockets frantically, when Mike handed him his fresh white handkerchief. Steve took it with a grateful nod and turned away from the group to blow his nose. Mark, ever helpful, jumped up to get him some more.

Ironside addressed Mike. "Haven't you taught your boy to put a clean handkerchief in his pocket every morning?"

Steve resurfaced from behind the white linen and shot the Chief a pained look. "Completely unnecessary. Mike always carries a spare one for me, much easier than reminding me!"

"You obviously haven't taught him how to respect his elders either!" Ironside snapped, though he felt like laughing out loud.

Mark returned with a small stash of neatly folded handkerchiefs which Steve accepted appreciatively and shoved them into the pocket of his raincoat that he had kept on for warmth.

"I'll make you a cup of tea, man, my grandmother's recipe; that will take care of your cold for you!" Mark offered.

Both Eve and Ed winced, having been subjected to the evil brew before. Steve was caught in yet another sneezing fit and couldn't reply. Mark put on the kettle and offered coffee to everyone else.

"What he needs is a good bowl of Chilli, that will clear his sinuses for him," the Chief suggested.

"He has a cold but he is neither deaf nor dumb." There was nothing Steve hated more than people talking over him as if he was not there.

"Don't mind him, Bob, he's a bit out of sorts. I shouldn't have let him come in for work today."

"What, taking time off for a bit of the sniffles? You must be joking, Mike! You really pamper this young man too much. None of my team would ever take off time for anything less than pneumonia!"

"Sniffles? He's been spluttering and sneezing and spreading his germs for days. I'm expecting him to bring down half the police force with him!"

"Well, now-" Ironside said as he wheeled his chair out of the possible line of airborne contamination. "I see your point, Mike."

Ed and Eve had followed the exchange with amusement. Ed had often marvelled about the easy and friendly relationship between Mike Stone and Steve Keller. What must it be like to be working for someone as openly appreciative of your merits as Mike Stone?

Mark eventually put a steaming cup of a foul smelling liquid in front of the cold victim. Steve eyed it suspiciously but a stern look from his mentor made him pick it up.

Ed observed the scene with interest. There was definitely some iron behind the velvet, too. Steve swallowed a big mouthful and shuddered. Another glance at Mike and he took a second gulp.

"I'm sure your grandma was a wise woman, but I might resort to chemical warfare on the evil germs now." Steve said nasally.

"That's the best thing you've come up with today," his partner replied. "You go home now and throw in your wonder pill. Between that and the tea you should be right as rain in a day or two." Steve nodded, realising that he was very likely to infect his colleagues. He took a tablet out of a small bottle he had been carrying in his coat pocket, swallowed it with the last of the cooling tea and then made his excuses. Mike walked him to the door.

"Will you be okay to drive, Buddy boy?"

"Sure thing, Mike, why not?"

"Alright then, I'll swing by later and check on you." Mike patted his shoulder as a parting gesture.

Ironside snorted. "Why did he catch a cold in the first place?"

Mike chuckled at the image of Steve running after the cold virus with a butterfly net. "Well, Bob, he certainly didn't do it on purpose."

Once more Ed mused how it would be working for Stone. But a home visit from the boss to check on you? He really wasn't sure if he fancied that!

"Now, Bob, what's the matter with you? Why are you in such a foul humour today?" Mike, a long-time friend with the Chief, asked.

Ironside couldn't help but smile now. "Aw, Mike, you know me, I don't like being idle and we have just finished our case. Who knows when the next case comes up that really challenges me?"

"Sooner than you think, I'm sure, sooner than you think!" Stone replied.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Chapter 2**_

Some hours later found Mike Stone heading for his younger partner's apartment. He had called several times in the course of the afternoon but there was no answer. He had assumed that - as usual - the phone was hidden in the empty fridge.

On speculation, he had stopped on the way to buy some orange juice, bread and a few tins of chicken soup- the failsafe remedy to cure all from a common cold to a broken heart. But when he pulled in at the side of Steve's apartment, he was getting a bit concerned. Steve's car was extremely badly parked - so unlike Steve, who was a natural driver and took exceptional care with his beloved car.

He must have been really unwell to leave his car part blocking the road. Mike went closer and his heart almost stopped. The driver's door was slightly open, and the key was still in the ignition. Something wasn't right! He ran up the steps to the apartment and tried the door- unlocked as well! He barged in, calling for Steve. No reply, but he immediately saw the stretched out body of his partner on the sofa.

"Steve, you almost gave me a heart attack!"

Steve didn't move. Mike crossed the floor in a few strides.

"Steve, wake up!" He shook the young man's shoulder but got no response.

Mike was getting really worried now. Many times he had roused his partner when he needed him to come on duty at odd hours, and Steve was always alert at the first ring of the doorbell. Something was decidedly wrong there.

"Buddy boy!" he patted Steve's cheeks in a frantic effort to wake him up and then in a state of near panic felt for the carotid pulse. Irregular, weak, but palpable. _What happened in the last few hours to cause such a dramatic deterioration in his condition? A common cold in the morning- near comatose in the afternoon? _ Mike's gaze fell on an array of pill boxes on the coffee table.

"Oh my God, Steve, what have you done?"

He grabbed the phone and started dialling for an ambulance when Ed Brown entered through the open door. Like Mike, Ed had tried to reach Steve several times and he was getting a bit concerned, too. When he saw Stone's face he knew things were bad. The Lieutenant handed him the phone.

"We need an ambulance, possible overdose or cross reaction between different types of medication."

Ed didn't hesitate. Mike went back to the sofa, trying to get some reaction from Steve.

"Come on now, wake up. It's Mike. Don't do this to me, open your eyes!" He kept slapping his friend's cheeks until he heard the siren of the approaching ambulance.

In the meantime Ed had gathered the bottles and boxes on the coffee table in plastic bags he had found in one of Steve's kitchen drawers. He handed them to Mike who was going to accompany his partner in the ambulance.

"The doctors will need to know what he might have taken, but the packaging has to be dusted for prints." Ed gently reminded the distraught older detective.

"Ed, could you see to Steve's car? It is not safe the way he left it and it would just about kill him if something happened to his wheels." Mike swallowed hard.

Ed checked the flat and bagged a glass that was standing on the coffee table. Something didn't feel right and he was sure that Mike Stone would have noticed it too, had he not been so beside himself with worry.

Steve's .38 was on the kitchen table. Ed lifted it carefully with a pencil and smelled it. It had been recently fired. The gun was also bagged as evidence. Then he went out to Steve's car. Like Mike he was surprised to find it unlocked and badly parked. The tall young man slid easily behind the wheel and started the engine to park the car properly. Again, something struck him as odd, very odd, but he just couldn't put his finger on it yet. So far there was no evidence of any foul play, but he felt the need to secure both the apartment and the car.

After a phone call to Ironside, he made his way over to the hospital to see how the patient was doing. He found Mike Stone in the waiting area, staring silently at the pill containers in the plastic bag he was holding.

"Any news?" Ed asked as he lowered his lanky frame into a chair next to Stone.

"No, they are still working on him. They reckon it is a cross reaction between all the tablets he took. I really don't get this. I've never seen all this stuff in his place before!"

"And how would you know what medication he keeps in his cupboards, Mike?" Stone looked up, surprised to hear Chief Ironside's voice.

"Mark insisted on coming here with a sample of his grandmother's tea. He fears that he is guilty of poisoning the young man." Ironside explained.

Mike waved his hand dismissively. "Nah, surely not, but maybe give it to someone to be analysed." He pointed towards the reception desk.

"Well, Mike how would you know what drugs stashes he has?" Ironside asked again.

Mike looked up. "I only went through his bathroom cabinets a few days ago because I was looking for a plaster and some iodine. There was nothing there except some headache tablets and a burn cream. "

"He could have stocked up in the meantime," the Chief insisted.

Stone looked at the contents of the bag again. "No, he never takes that brand of painkillers. I offered him one of them before and he told me they contain codeine and it gives him a headache. And sleeping tablets? The boy doesn't need sleeping tablets!"

"I'm sure we'll find out when he comes to, Mike." Ironside didn't want to say the obvious; he felt that his friend needed to come to the conclusion himself. "Well, Mike, I don't think there is anything else we can do here, we'll better get going."

"Sure. Thanks, Ed. You were very thoughtful and efficient," Mike said as he looked at Brown.

"I would expect no less from a man I have trained myself." Ironside stated and started wheeling himself towards the door.

Ed smirked when he heard the back handed compliment. Well - better than no acknowledgement at all... He addressed Stone. "Please let me know if there are any changes or if there is anything I can do!"


	3. Chapter 3

_**Chapter 3**_

Mike Stone spent the whole night in the hospital, waiting for an improvement in his friend's condition. Eventually the doctor allowed him to sit with his protégé, hoping that the presence of a familiar person might tip the scales in favour of the patient.

When Ironside and his team returned to the hospital in the morning, they found Mike sitting at Steve's bedside, holding the young man's hand and talking to him.

"Wouldn't you be better off getting some rest, rather than sitting at his bed?" Ironside asked, slightly puzzled. "He doesn't realise you are there."

"I'm sure he does- and honestly, Bob, would you go home and sleep if it was one of your staff lying there?"

The Chief harrumphed. "I don't think any of my staff would have manoeuvred themselves into the same position as your impetuous young man."

Mike's nerves were already frayed with worry and lack of sleep and he raised his voice. "Now, Bob, this is highly..." he stopped suddenly when he felt Steve's hand gripping his.

"Mike? Did I oversleep? I'm sorry, I won't be long," Steve slurred groggily.

"It's alright. No need to get up. You are in hospital, but you will be fine."

Steve tried to open his eyes. "What happened? I can't remember a thing."

"Don't you worry, buddy boy, you'll be fine. I'm sure you will remember all in your own good time." Mike soothed. "Rest now and we'll talk later."

Ironside interrupted, "Mike, we may not be at leisure to let him remember all in his own good time, as you call it, but I'd rather tell you outside. Come with me!"

Stone was confused. He gave Steve's hand a final pat and followed the man in the wheelchair.

"Mike, I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but there is a warrant out for the arrest of Steven Keller for murder."

Mike was dumbfounded. "If I didn't know you any better, Bob, I'd think this is an attempt of a joke. So it can only be a misunderstanding."

"You reckon the boy is incapable of committing murder?" Ironside asked sharply.

"Absolutely! He has worked with me for 6 months now and I have watched his progress for two years before I got his transfer. The kid is as sound as they come." Mike was adamant.

"But under the influence of drugs?" The Chief insisted.

"No, impossible!" Mike was completely stumped. "Not Steve, you don't know him the way I do!"

Ironside listened to his long time colleague attentively. He had always known Mike Stone to be a good judge of character, but at the same time fiercely loyal to his friends, although the surprised reaction to the accusation rang completely true.

"Mike, we need to talk this through, but not here, come back to my office with me."

"But Steve..."

"He will be all right. You will help him more by clearing his name than watching him sleep," the Chief reminded him.

Stone hesitated.

"There will be a uniformed policeman outside his room, but I suppose at this stage he doesn't need to know about it." Ironside assured him.

"Ok, I'll be with you in a minute. I just need to fetch my coat from his room." Mike finally agreed.

Ironside couldn't suppress a smirk. "Too soft, Mike, way too soft!"

At Ironside's quarters, Mark put on a fresh pot of coffee while everybody settled around the table.

"Mark, get the man some breakfast. I bet you he hasn't eaten." Ironside ordered.

Though the Lieutenant didn't feel like eating at all, he made a valiant attempt at finishing the generous portion of waffles and eggs that Ironside's personal assistant put in front of him, while the Chief began to recap the case.

"Keller left here at about a quarter past twelve. You found him unconscious in his apartment at around five. That leaves roughly five hours unaccounted for. At three thirty, a young woman was shot dead coming out of a house. The shot was fired from a parked car. A witness clearly identified Keller's car and took a note of the registration. Keller's service revolver had been recently discharged; it matches the bullet found in the victim. Do you want me to go on?"

Mike had pushed his half eaten breakfast away, his stomach churning with the bad news he had heard. "Ok, a witness saw his car, but did he or she see Steve?" Mike questioned.

"You're right there, but you haven't heard it all. Your boy knew the young lady who got killed well. It was her friend who identified Steve's car, and she is pretty sure she saw a man firing the gun. Then he goes home, realises what he has done and overdoses. Sorry for playing Devil's Advocate here, Mike, but this is the state of affairs," the Chief sympathised.

Stone didn't reply for a while.

In the meantime Ironside addressed his team. "Ok, children, you know the young man probably better than I do. What is your take on this?"

Eve was the first to speak up. "A lady killer of a different sort, maybe. He loves them and leaves them, but I can't see him killing a girl. As far as I know, he has a very good technique when it comes to dumping girls." A sharp look from Ironside made her add, "So a friend tells me... No, I don't think he would be capable of deliberately harming a woman."

Mark was slow to start. "I don't know him all that well, but he strikes me as a very straight guy. And suicide?" Mike flinched when he heard the word as Mark continued. "I don't think so. We were talking about this and that one day while he was waiting for his Boss man here and he seemed to have a very firm view on suicide and self harm."

Ed was the last to voice his opinion. There was a lot about the case that bothered him. "I agree with Eve, Mark and the Lieutenant. The act would be completely out of character for him. There are a few things in the flat that struck me as odd and the car..." All of a sudden he remembered that the keys to Steve's car were still in his pocket. He handed them over to Stone. "Maybe you'd better take them!"

Mike palmed them and smiled. "Thanks for taking care of the car for him. I hope you didn't do any lasting damage to your knees! Every time I get behind the wheel of his little tin box I forget that I need to push the seat back and hit my knees, and you are taller than I am..."

"That's it!" the long legged Sergeant exclaimed. "That was bothering me; I didn't have to move the seat!"

Mike Stone immediately got the drift. "So someone else had driven his car!"

Ed jumped up and took the car keys back. "I'll get the car fingerprinted and forensically examined. While I'm at it, I'll take the pill containers to the lab as well."


	4. Chapter 4

_**Chapter 4**_

With his right hand man gone, Ironside divided up the remaining tasks among the rest of his team. "Eve- you talk to the witness, you know, a girl to girl talk and try and find out more about the victim's relationship with Keller. I will need you here, Mark, we may have to go to the hospital fast. Mike, you realise that you are not officially working this case, as you are too personally involved. Have you got time coming?"

The Lieutenant understood that Ironside had a point there. "Yeah, I'll take a few days. After all I am officially listed as Steve's next of kin, so I have a reason to hang around the hospital and pester doctors and nurses with questions."

The Chief thought for a moment. "I wasn't aware of that. Yes, go back to the hospital and find out what you can about the cross reactions of all the pills he took. And- inform me when he is alert enough to be interviewed."

By the time Mike had spoken to the doctor in charge, Steve was awake and very eager to talk to his mentor.

"Mike, what's going on? What has happened, why am I here?"

"Easy now, one question after the other," Mike chided gently.

"But nobody tells me anything!" Steve exclaimed.

"Don't get worked up now. Before I can fill you in we need to ask you some questions. Can you do that?" The older man wanted to know.

"Who is we?" Steve was getting suspicious.

"Ironside is on his way over," Mike explained.

"Why the Chief, what is going on?" Steve was getting very distressed and his partner did what he could to calm him down.

Ironside appeared with Ed and Mark; the latter was carrying a tape recorder.

"We will be recording this interview. Mike, you want to sit in, I suppose?" This was the cue that Mike Stone was not supposed to ask any questions. The frown on Steve Keller's face got deeper.

"Now, young man. What happened after you left my quarters yesterday? Be as precise as you can!" Ironside started the interview.

Steve was confused and upset, but he tried his best.

"Not much happened really. I went to my car and drove home."

"Did you stop at any stage?" The seasoned detective probed.

"Wait a minute; it is coming back to me now. I wasn't feeling great. I first sat in the car for a few minutes until the world stopped spinning. I was very tired and pulled in at a filling station to buy a bottle of water. I felt I needed some air or I would drop off."

"Where exactly did you stop?"

Steve explained and Ironside sent off Ed immediately to check for CCTV footage.

"And then?" The Chief prodded.

"I must have sat there for a few minutes waiting for the drowsiness to pass. Then I drove home."

"Where did you park your car?"

"I remember, there was a handy spot right in front of my apartment." Steve was positive about that.

"Did you lock your car?" Ironside fired off the next question.

"Yeah, I'm sure I did. I remember putting the keys in my pocket. I had no intentions using the car again that day." He paused for a moment. "I got terribly tired and dizzy when I went in. I don't think I made it as far as the bedroom; I collapsed straight on the sofa. The next thing I remember is being here in hospital."

He turned to Mike with a silent plea. "Mike, please tell me what happened!"

Mike looked at the Chief.

"Just one more question. Do you know a lady called Rose Bartlett?"

Steve's face betrayed his surprise. "Rose? Of course I do! We went out a few times. I met her through an old friend from High School. He introduced us. A very nice girl, but it's rather casual. Why are you asking? "

Ironside switched off the tape recorder.

"I think that will do for now. Mike, perhaps you want to fill in your friend and meet us later. Ed got all the results from the lab back and will share the information with us in my office. See you in half an hour."

"Make it an hour and I'll be there!" Mike shouted after Ironside before the door closed.

When the two partners were alone in the room Steve sat up with a determined expression on his face. "You'd better tell me what's going on or..."

Mike grinned in spite of himself. "Or what? I can't really see you doing much at the moment. A gust of wind would blow you over." Then he grew serious. "I'll tell you all, but you mustn't get worked up, ok?"

Steve nodded in agreement.

"Steve- yesterday, while you were out cold, someone got into your flat and took your .38 and your car keys. The young lady Rose whatever her name is, was shot dead with your revolver from your car."

All remaining colour drained from the young man's face.

"There now, lie down again and take a deep breath. I know this must be a shock for you, but the Chief and his team are working on clearing your name already." Mike's voice betrayed his concern.

"Poor Rosie!" the young man swallowed hard, processing all the information. "What do you mean, clearing my name? Am I a suspect?"

Mike patted his friend's arm. "I'm afraid so, at least for the time being, but we've got some evidence of another person's involvement already. "

Steve was silent for a long time. "Mike?" he asked hesitantly. "Mike, did you ever believe I killed her?"

"Not for a minute!" Mike declared.

"Thanks, that means a lot to me." The younger man said in a low voice.

"I must admit though, when I first saw the assortment of tablets on your table I thought for a while that you had accidentally overdosed." Mike added hesitantly.

Steve sat up again like a shot and winced when he tugged at the IV lines in his left arm. "Overdosed? Tablets? What are you talking about now? "

"Steve, there were three different types of pills on your coffee table and a glass." Mike clarified.

"Mike, I swear all I took was the pill before I left for home, for all the good it did me." He paused for a moment and smiled. "It did actually stop the cold, though!"

Mike explained in detail which tablets he had found in Steve's apartment.

Steve shook his head vehemently. "No way, I never bought those. What would I need sleeping tablets for and those pain killers - never! They just give me a headache."

"That's all right, don't get worked up, I believe you. Did you take a second 'flu tablet by any chance?"

" "No, I don't think so. I was so tired already; I think I left the bottle in my coat pocket."

"Hold on now, those 'flu tablets on your coffee table were in a blister pack, not in a bottle." Stone went over to the wardrobe and patted the pockets of the sports jacket that Steve had been wearing. He took the small bottle of pills out with his handkerchief and transferred it to his own coat pocket. "I need to get that checked out, but I'll be back later!" he promised.


	5. Chapter 5

_**Chapter 5**_

A short time later, after a quick detour to the lab to get the tablets he had found in Steve's pocket analysed, Mike arrived at Ironside's quarters. Without waiting for an invitation he poured himself a cup of coffee.

"Oh, I needed that!" he exclaimed after the first sip.

"Ok, Stone, do you want to start?" Ironside didn't waste time with idle chat and went straight to business.

"Well, I talked to his doctor. First of all he reckons that Steve is one of the people that strongly reacts to the…," he checked his notebook, "Pseudoephedrine in the 'flu tablet he had taken. The stuff is supposed to stop the runny nose by constricting the blood vessels in the nose. Anyway, some people are overly sensitive to it, and it sends them to sleep."

Mark interrupted, "A simple over the counter drug can do that?"

Mike continued his report. "No, that alone would have given him the best sleep of his life for about twenty hours, but they found massive doses of codeine and a barbiturate in his system, too. Both of them cause severe cross reactions with the otherwise harmless pseudoephedrine."

He shuddered at the thought how close his friend had come to death.

"And now the curious thing- the packet of 'flu tablets was definitely different to the one he had in his pocket here. I left the bottle I found in his coat pocket at the lab for analysis on my way in. They will phone in the results as soon as they have them, but I have a fair idea what is in them!"

Ed was the next to speak. "No fingerprints but Steve's on either the packaging of the tablets or the water glass. Here, have a look at the print patterns!" The tall young man put the pill containers, still in the evidence bags, and a stack of photographs on the table.

Eve frowned. "What about prints from the pharmacist? At least smudged ones? Why would a pharmacist wear gloves when he or she is selling over the counter cold remedies?"

Ironside smiled fondly. "Well done, Eve, you are onto something there. And while we are at it, has anybody noticed anything unusual about the fingerprints on the water glass? Ed?"

"Planted, of course, four perfect prints but no thumbprint," Ed answered immediately.

Ironside grunted. "Obviously! How did anyone think he or she would get away with this?"

Ed shrugged. "Wouldn't it be a rather open and shut case if Steve hadn't been found in time and if he wasn't a cop? Would the case have been reviewed in the same way?"

Mike nodded. "Yeah, a murder and then a suicide, very neat. I wonder if this is the first one…"

Ironside looked up. "Children, you know what to do - check for murdered girls with the presumed perp committing suicide straight afterwards. Start with California and then expand if necessary. I expect some results by tonight. Mike, I want you to find out more about the pharmacy your boy uses and the relationship he had with the young lady."

Mike grabbed his hat and coat, but was stopped in his tracks when the phone rang.

"Ironside!" the Chief barked. He remained silent for a while, listening intently. "Okay, thanks!" He put down the receiver and looked at Stone. "As you suspected, my friend, the tablets in the bottle contained a mixture of pseudoephedrine, codeine and a barbiturate."

Still mulling over the new information, Mike Stone went back to the hospital, where he was greeted by an impatient Steve.

"You must be much better, you look almost awake!" Mike joked.

"Stop trying to be funny, just tell me what is going on," the young man demanded.

"What is going on is far from funny. The tablets you had in your pocket contained a lethal combination of three medications, not what it said on the label." Mike looked very serious. "It is a miracle the dose didn't kill you, buddy boy."

Steve stared at him blankly. "I only took one, I was supposed to start with two tablets…"

"Steve, who gave you the tablets?" Mike looked at him intently.

The young man was horrified. "It must have been a mistake; someone at the pharmacy must have mixed up something!"

"Steve, who gave you the tablets?" Mike insisted.

"This is impossible. He would never - no, we are friends!" He looked at his older partner in dismay.

"Steve, give me the name now!" Mike demanded.

"We went to high school together. I was his only friend, you know. All the other kids were really mean to him…"

_So very like Steve to befriend a lonely teenager, _Mike thought.

"His name is Peter Wells, but Mike, we went to school together!" Steve was getting very agitated now.

The older man put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Calm down, buddy boy, you really need to chill now, or the nurse will kick me out. Here, drink some water and take a deep breath."

Mike gave his protégé some time to calm down, while he made a quick phone call to Ironside, so the Chief and his team could start collecting information on Peter Wells, pharmacist.

"Now I really need you to tell me all about this guy Peter," Mike urged, looking at his young partner with concern. He was ghastly pale and visibly shook.

"He moved to Modesto with his family when we were in our second last year of high school. You know kids that age," he snorted dismissively. "They can be cruel. Pete knew nobody in town, wasn't rich, nothing special in the looks department, no great shakes at sports, but very brainy. A nice kid once you got to know him, but very few tried. The most popular boy in the class had decided he was a nerd and nobody was to be friends with him. Stupid git!"

Mike could tell that Steve was still upset over the unfair treatment a kid got at high school.

"But you did befriend him?" he probed.

"Yeah, I had to fight Jake over it - and then some!" Steve rubbed the scar under his chin as the memories came flooding back.

"And the teachers?" Mike asked out of interest.

Steve smiled a bitter smile. "They didn't realise what was going on. I almost decided to become a teacher then, trying to do things better; that was before I realised it needs a cop to sort out certain issues."

In spite of his curiosity Mike didn't press the matter any further. They just didn't have the luxury of unlimited time for high school reminiscences.

"What about the kid Pete? Was he grateful to you?"

Steve thought for a while. "I think I was quite discreet about the fight, I didn't want to embarrass him or make him feel he owed me. We hung out for the rest of high school and what group I was with, he was, too. We occasionally double dated. When we started college, we lost touch - you know how it goes and only quite recently I bumped into him one evening in a bar and we kept in contact. Mike, he wouldn't harm me, it must have been an accident!" The young man looked distraught.

Mike patted his shoulder again.

"Sure, buddy boy, sure, we just need to find out a little bit more. How did you meet the young lady?"

"Rosie? She was his date one evening when we met up. They had been dating on and off for a while, but nothing serious - Rosie wasn't the serious type." Steve smiled. "Well, Rosie and I really hit it off and we went out maybe two or three times alone; once or twice more with Pete. It was more like a group of friends thing rather than a proper relationship. Mike, I didn't steal his girlfriend, it wasn't like that!"

Steve looked all innocent and Mike believed him, but he also saw an unpopular kid at school, being rejected and patronised once too often.


	6. Chapter 6

_**Chapter 6**_

All the way from the hospital to Ironside's quarters, Mike mulled over the conversation with his protégé. _So like Steve to fight the cause of the underdog- and now the underdog had turned and was biting his champion_. Mike tried to make sense out of what seemed to be a senseless action.

When he arrived at his destination, all the team members were back. Ed and Eve were at the table, comparing notes, while Mark stirred the evening pot of chili. Mike filled in the team on what Steve had told him.

"Have you got the names of the high school bullies?" Ironside asked. "I'd like to know if one of them met an untimely end."

"Sure" Mike replied. He handed a short list of names to Ed.

Mark came over to the table carrying a saucepan of piping hot chili and started dishing it out. "I can understand why he would want to kill the bullies, but why Steve? He seemed to be the only decent guy this fellow met at school."

"Maybe he wanted to eliminate the last link reminding him of his unpleasant past," Ed suggested.

"Jealousy?" Eve chimed in. "I talked to the victim's friend. Rose may have expected more from the relationship with Steve than he was aware of. According to the friend she broke off with Pete to pursue Steve. "

"Steve thought her relationship with Pete was rather casual," Mike remarked.

"Wishful thinking on his part? Or did Pete see commitment when there was none?" Ironside wondered.

Everybody was silent for a while, eating the Chief's favourite food.

Mike Stone was the first to put down his spoon. "Okay, what else have we got?"

Mark jumped up. "I think there are some cookies left…"

In spite of all his worries, Mike chuckled. "I'll take you up on your offer with a cup of coffee, but I was actually thinking of cookies of another kind."

Ed was still eating, but swallowed fast and started. "There seems to be a little cluster of murdered girlfriends followed by suicide of the suspect. Three in California, plus the one we are working on over five years. The MO was different in all of them, so detecting a pattern without the information we have got now would have been next to impossible. One girl died in a hit and run, one was strangled and one was stabbed. The only common factor of the suicides is that all victims overdosed on something. We'll have to check Wells' whereabouts from college till now. "

He checked the list of school mates that Mike had given him earlier and took another mouthful of chili while he read. "Nope, none of the names is on my list. That would support Eve's theory of jealousy. I'll better run them through the computer all the same." He scraped out his bowl and jumped up.

Eve followed him. "The information I requested on Wells should be in by now. That should help us tie him to the killings."

Mark served the two older men coffee and cookies and then excused himself to attend his night classes.

Ironside addressed Mike. "Now, my friend, what are we going to do about your young man?"

Stone looked at him, puzzled. "I suppose at this stage we have enough evidence to revoke the warrant…"

"Well, maybe. But is it enough? Will there be always a black mark on his file, a hint of suspicion around him? The police suppressing evidence to clear one of their own?"

Mike remained silent for a while. "I'm afraid you're right, Bob. Steve deserves better than that. This could ruin his career and it could ruin his life…" he thought for a while. "We haven't got enough yet to nail our friendly pharmacist. "

"We'll see what Eve and Ed come up with." Ironside answered.

Soon enough the Sergeant and his pretty companion came back, both smiling widely.

"Bingo!" Eve exclaimed. "Mr Wells happened to be close to wherever the action was. " She summarised Wells' employment history and the location of the murder/ suicides.

"Double bingo." Ed added. "Two out of five high school bullies have already met their maker. One was killed in a hit and run and one was shot by an unknown assailant. Both crimes were never solved and – coincidence or what- happened where Wells was working at the time."

Mike beamed at the two young police officers. The Chief grunted in acknowledgement of a job well done.

"But Mike, it is still only circumstantial evidence." Ironside didn't want to raise false hope.

"I know, Bob, I know. " Mike replied slightly exasperated.

Eve and Ed looked at each other, not knowing how to begin.

Ed, always the gentleman, started. "Chief, if you don't mind us making a suggestion…"

Ironside shot him a withering look. "What do you think you get paid for?"

Ed took this as a _yes_ and continued. "Eve and I were talking about this idea we had. As you said, so far we have nothing but circumstantial evidence and no proof. It might take ages to find it and Steve's life would be on hold. If we caught him in the act though, it would tie it all together. "

Eve took over now. "What we were thinking of - I could strike up an acquaintance with Wells and after a few days Ed appears on the scene."

"Oh no, no way! He almost killed Steve and we won't risk anybody else's life!" Mike sounded very determined.

"Mike, my staff are well trained and besides, they know what they have to expect, whereas your young man thought he was dealing with a friend and walked right into this trap. Eve, I think it is a good idea, if you and Ed are willing to do it."

Mike still didn't like the idea of two young people risking their lives, but they fit the age group of Wells' victims.

"We need to ensure Wells thinks we don't suspect him. How about we kill off your boy? Then our killer pharmacist will think he succeeded with his plan," Ironside suggested.

Mike thought for a while. "There are some people we need to inform that Steve in not really dead. There are some relatives and the colleagues, of course. "

"Keep it to as few as possible, but you know that yourself, Mike."

"Lieutenant, you mentioned relatives - I was thinking of posing as Steve's cousin taking care of clearing out his flat. The connection with Steve might set him off faster. "

"A great idea, but you would have to talk to Steve - I'm not sure how close he and Wells were at school. As far as I know, Steve has no cousins but would Wells know that kind of thing?" Mike replied.

"I'll take care of that tomorrow. I hope that Steve is well enough to talk to me," Ed wondered.

"Oh, he's certainly on the mend. When I patted his cheek before I left earlier on, he swatted my hand away." Mike smiled affectionately, when he remembered the situation.

Ed and Ironside exchanged a horrified glance.


	7. Chapter 7

_**Chapter 7**_

The following day Eve walked into the drugstore where Wells was employed. She walked up and down the aisles, giving every looker-on the opportunity to admire her lovely figure, shapely legs and perfect hair. She gave the clear impression of someone looking for something in particular, as she was picking up jars and bottles. Wells soon spotted the new, very attractive looking customer and offered his help.

Eve beamed at him and sighed with relief. "You know, I moved to this area here recently and I've been looking for a special facial cream …" She filled him in on the details while she took in his appearance.

_Nice, but average looking. Short, dark hair, wire rimmed glasses, medium built, taller than average, about Ed's height, nice manners and very obliging._ Eve summed him up.

He promised to order the cream for Eve and have it there the following day. Eve kept him chatting for a bit and when she returned the following day they picked up their conversation where they had left off the previous day. Eve cunningly mentioned her love for the cinema, and soon the two of them had the first date going to see a movie the same evening.

Over the next couple of days, Wells must have thought he died and had gone to heaven. A beautiful, sophisticated and genuinely nice young lady was interested in him and couldn't get enough of his company. New in town, he was her first friend and he enjoyed taking her out and showing her off in his usual haunts. After a few days of bliss, a fly flew straight for the ointment….

Another new customer appeared at the counter, not looking for facial cream, but for Wells himself. The tall, slim man in his thirties introduced himself as Ed Baker, Steve Keller's cousin from back east.

"I'm afraid I have bad news, Steve died 2 days ago. I am here to empty his apartment and make arrangements for his funeral. I'm going through his address book to try and inform all his friends." He filled the pharmacist in, sounding rather matter of fact, not like a grieving relative at all.

Wells sighed, but Ed wasn't sure if it was a sigh of relief or a sigh of sorrow.

"Oh my God, what happened? I didn't know he was ill!" Pete wondered.

"It is a long story. Have you got the time for it now?" Ed asked and pointed towards a line of customers forming at the counter.

The two men arranged to meet at the bar Wells frequented and Ed left, very pleased with the progress so far. The fish had nibbled the bait and was about to bite…

Ed knew that Wells had arranged to meet Eve in the same bar later on in the evening, so he was determined to hang around and make the first move after thoroughly upsetting the pharmacist's calm demeanour first. By the time Wells arrived, Ed had settled at a small table in the back, small enough for an intimate conversation, but big enough for a third person to join them. Pete was a little late and flushed. He sank on the chair opposite from Ed and ordered a drink.

"Please, tell me what happened to Steve. It was on my mind all day. Was it an accident? He was always a bit of a reckless driver."

"You can say that again, especially after our granddad gave him a fast car for his graduation. And what did I get? A watch!" Ed put a certain amount of venom in his voice. "No, he didn't have a car accident. If you promise me to keep it quiet…"

Pete nodded enthusiastically.

"He overdosed." Ed said in a low voice.

"What? I didn't think he was into drugs!" the pharmacist exclaimed.

"Not that kind of overdose. He mixed some medication to help him on his way out."

"I still don't understand."

"It was a big hush-hush. The police are keeping it pretty much under wraps, you know." Ed lowered his voice to a whisper. "He first killed a girl and then killed himself. Bad press for the police if that came out."

"Oh!" Wells pretended to be surprised. "I never would have thought that in a million years."

"I shouldn't speak ill of a dead cousin, but this was the only decent thing he ever did in his life. With him gone, my granddad's money will all come to me. Steve was his favourite and would have snatched the lion's share, as usual."

Pete was confused and Ed continued his spiel. "Little Steve always got what he wanted from granddad and from everyone else. You must have noticed that at school, too. You were at school with him, weren't you?"

"Oh yes, we went to high school together for two years."

Ed laughed. "And how many of your girlfriends did he steal? "

Pete hesitated and Ed went on. "Believe me, my friend, I soon stopped bringing girlfriends to family reunions. It never took Steve long to make a move on someone else's girl."

He started a rant on his despised cousin that ended with, "But from now on nobody will be standing between me and a girl I fancy!"

The remark was well timed, right as Eve walked into the bar, under the admiring eyes of all the males. Ed whistled under his breath. "Oh my, what a babe!"

Wells proudly introduced her and sincerely hoped that Ed would get the idea and leave, but was disappointed.

"If you don't mind I'll hang around for a bit. I'm a stranger here and don't fancy going back to an empty apartment."

Eve's smile was all invitation. "I'm only new here myself and it would be lovely to meet someone else, isn't that so, Pete?"

What could Wells do but consent grudgingly? From then on the evening went slowly, but steadily, downhill for Pete. Eve seemed to be all over the new guy, who entertained her with stories of his achievements and travels - and the shares in a business he was going to inherit.

Eve was all smiles and giggles, enjoying the attentions of the good looking young man and hanging on to every word he said, deliberately ignoring her date.

"Come on, Eve, we were meant to go for dinner and I'm getting hungry!" Pete insisted in the end.

"Great. What about you, Ed, are you coming, too?" she invited her new friend.

"I'm positively starving!" Ed jumped up, ready to join the couple.

There was nothing Wells could do but to tolerate the intruder with good grace and the three went off together.


	8. Chapter 8

_**Chapter 8**_

The same evening the dearly departed, but very much alive Steve Keller paced the family room of his partner's house, where he was recuperating while playing dead.

Mike looked up from the newspaper he was trying to read and took off his black rimmed reading glasses. He watched the young man with a mixture of exasperation and concern. "Steve, what's wrong with you?" he asked eventually.

"Nothing's wrong, I'm fine." The young man started pacing the room again.

"Come on, something is eating at you." Mike's voice was kind.

Steve stopped in his tracks. "It's just that-" he paused.

"What?" Mike probed.

"Oh, I can't stop thinking about Ed and Eve. It's not right…" his voice trailed off again.

The older man sighed. "I know what you mean. It's awful when you can't do anything yourself and feel that other people may be in danger because of you."

"That's exactly what I mean." The young man felt an immense feeling of relief washing over him, there was someone who understood perfectly what was on his mind, and maybe he would understand the other thing that was bothering him, too.

"There is something else, as well." Steve sat down next to Mike who was looking at him expectantly. "You know, the whole thing with Pete is bothering me beyond belief. Is there really no doubt that he tried to kill me and probably killed all the other people?"

Mike felt terribly sorry for the young man who had just survived a brush with death and had to get his head around the idea that someone he used to trust had tried to kill him.

"Buddy boy, I gave you all the material to read, would you come to a different conclusion?"

"No, I guess not." He remained silent for a while. "Mike, what if he was like that when we were at school? You know, I was only a kid and maybe I was a poor judge of character. Things happened during our last year at school."

"Like what?" Mike's professional instinct was going on overdrive.

"Oh, funny accidents, you know, pranks really but some of them could have caused some damage. " Steve paused again, concentrating on reliving some memories.

"Could you give me an example, maybe?" Mike asked after a while.

"Someone cut the brake lines of the car I was driving." Steve looked up, a pained expression on his face. "That's actually why I took Pete's side when everybody else blamed him for what was going on. I said he wouldn't harm me, I was his friend!"

"Come on, you were a kid- and most of all a good kid who tried to help the underdog. So don't beat yourself up now. "

Steve was far from convinced. "But maybe all the killings could have been prevented. One of the boys who gave him a hard time at school died of an overdose. Do you think…" he didn't finish the sentence.

Mike sighed. "It is too much of a coincidence really, isn't it? Wells must be a deeply disturbed person. Disturbed and dangerous."

Both men remained silent for a few minutes.

"I have an awfully bad feeling about Eve and Ed out there with him. If you look at the gaps between the killings", he picked up a file and handed it to Mike, "from what we know there were years between them in the beginning and but they are much closer together now."

"You think he is decompensating? You could be right. Tell you what- why don't you get dressed properly and I give Old Grouch a ring and then we'll put a tail on them. What do you think?"

Steve didn't answer but went straight to the guest room he was occupying, determined not to waste any more time.

The phone only rang twice at the Chief's quarters, he must have been sitting right beside the phone, waiting for a call from Eve and Ed. Mike filled him in quickly and asked. "Any idea where they are right now?"

"Eve and Pete were supposed to go out for dinner at an Italian restaurant in the area, Alfredo's- I think Eve suggested it, and Ed had planned on tagging along…"

"Okay, Bob, I know the place. I'll be heading over there with Steve and we'll follow them."

"Mark and I will be there too. By the way, is your young friend always so slow in the uptake?"

The lieutenant decided that the last remark was meant to be a joke and didn't bother to reply.

Mike insisted that Steve half hid his face under a hoodie and a baseball cap, so that Pete wouldn't recognise him immediately.

Mark and Ironside were already at the restaurant by the time Mike and Steve arrived there. Mike went over to the van.

"Maybe Mark and I can go in for some takeout pizza and check if they are still there," he suggested.

"Pepperoni for me with extra chili peppers!" the Chief agreed.

Yes, the three were still at a table in a corner, a very animated conversation going on between Ed and Eve, while Pete sat there with a face like thunder.

Mike paid for the pizza and went back out, he was sure that Ed and Eve must have noticed him and Mark and must have realised that they were trying to warn them. The older detective brought the box of pizza over to Ironside's van and beckoned Steve to come and join them. The four sat in the back of the vehicle, eating pizza slices that nobody really wanted. Only Mark, with the appetite of the young, dug in wholeheartedly. Steve was too preoccupied to consider eating.

"Why didn't I draw the conclusion earlier?" he kept accusing himself.

Ironside shot him a sharp look. "And what difference would that have made, young man?"

Steve hesitated and Ironside began to elaborate. "We would have used exactly the same setup. I suspect when he was at high school there was no evidence to link him to the dangerous pranks or the alleged overdose either?"

"No, I guess not. The local sheriff looked into it. But nobody ever suspected foul play when it came to Ralph's death through an overdose." The young man looked at Mike with a troubled expression on his face.

"Don't worry about it now. All that matters at the moment is to keep Ed and Eve safe." Mike nudged the Chief to draw his attention to a group of three exiting the restaurant. Mark carefully lowered the window, so that they could hear at least part of the conversation.

"Hey, Eve, fancy a stroll? I'll walk you home!" Ed suggested.

Mike sighed with relief. Reliable Ed had picked up their warning sign and was going to avoid a ride in Pete's car. He whispered into Mark's ear. "We'll let them go out of Wells' view and then we'll pick them up!"

Mark slid back into the driver's seat and started the engine to be prepared. But another car engine roared into life first, headlights on full beam the car headed straight for the young couple…


	9. Chapter 9

_**Chapter 9**_

Time stood still for the four onlookers as the scene unfolded. With one fluid movement, the tall young man pushed his female companion out of the way and shielded her with his body a fraction of a second before the car hit him. He somersaulted over the bonnet and crashed onto the sidewalk while the car sped off with screeching tyres. All of sudden, the two older detectives sprang into action. Ironside took control of the radio, organised roadblocks and an ambulance. Mike Stone jumped out of the van to check on Ed and Eve.

Eve scrambled to her feet, shocked and bedraggled looking, scratched and bruised but basically unharmed. Ed, on the other hand remained motionless, his face ghostly pale. Stone knelt down next to him and ran his hands carefully over Ed's head, assessing the injuries and feeling for a pulse.

"He's alive, Bob, breathing steadily and the pulse is weak but steady!" He called out to his friend, who was just exiting the van with the help of his lift.

_How frustrating it must be for the independent and proud man that he can't be the first one at side of his injured assistant, not even being able to kneel down to assess the injuries,_ Mike sympathised.

"He will be fine!" he assured and made a liar of himself when he added. "Steve, get back on the horn and hurry up that ambulance!"

The three younger people who had stood around in numb disbelieve, responded at last. Steve and Mark ran for the Chief's van: Steve to make another urgent call for an ambulance and Mark to collect a blanket to cover the victim of the hit and run. Eve crouched next to Ed and took his hand. With tears in her eyes she looked up to Ironside.

"He saved my life; he jumped in to shield me! Oh Ed!" She was dismayed.

After what felt like an eternity, the siren of an ambulance could be heard from a distance, approaching fast.

The small hours of the morning saw the group of five still in the waiting room of the Franklin Memorial Hospital. The furniture consisted of two rows of chairs facing each other. Mark took up most of one row, stretched out and fast asleep. Eve, who in spite of being shook up, bruised and grazed after the accident, had insisted on staying in the hospital, sat sideways on a chair next to Mike Stone, leaning against him. His blue raincoat was wrapped around her and her legs were propped up on the next c hair, she was dozing fitfully. On Mike's other side, his head against Mike's shoulder, was Steve Keller.

Chief Ironside watched the scene. Young people seemed to feel comfortable around Mike Stone and he looked comfortable being used as a headrest on one side and as a backrest on the other.

"The innocence of the young! Don't begrudge them a few hours' escape from reality," he addressed Ironside in a low voice. "The two of us worry enough as it is. Ed is a fine young man. He is strong and he has a will to live."

"He sure does!"

"Chief Ironside?" a young nurse entered the room. "Sergeant Brown is still unconscious, but he is settled in a room now. Would you like to see him for a few minutes?"

The big man wheeled himself towards the door the nurse was pointing at. Mike smiled sadly, replaying a recent conversation he had with the Chief in his mind. He put his arm around Steve, trying to make him more comfortable.

Meanwhile, Ironside had wheeled himself at the side of the bed where Ed lay pale and quiet. Some bruising had begun to show on his face already and stood out in stark contrast with the ashen face and bright white bandage around his forehead. The features seemed relaxed and peaceful.

_At least he is not in pain_… Then Ironside's thoughts went the same way as Mike Stone's. _What's the point of sitting at the bedside of an unconscious man?_ He had asked his old friend. Now he was in exactly the same position. He dry swallowed and started talking to Ed.

"Well, now, Sergeant Brown, I expect you to open your eyes and report back for duty! You don't get paid for lazing around!" The typical Ironside appeal had no effect.

His voice softened a bit. "You did well, Ed. Eve is fine, and thanks to you she got away with a few cuts and bruises." The unconscious man didn't stir. After a while he put his hand over Ed's.

After a while, a young nurse timidly approached Mike Stone. "Excuse me, Lieutenant Stone, Ed Brown needs to rest and the Chief…" she didn't finish the sentence.

"… he refuses to leave the room, I suppose. It's all right, nurse, I'll get him out, but be prepared, he won't leave the hospital until Ed wakes up." Mike cautiously got up, trying not to disturb the sleeping young people around him.

"Bob?" Mike called out softly when he entered the room.

Ironside let go of Ed's hand as if he had scalded himself. "I was just checking his pulse!" he explained.

"Sure!" Mike readily agreed with a hidden grin. "He needs his rest now and if you don't come out of the room voluntarily, they will evict all of us."

Mike touched the side of Ed's face. "You hang in there, soldier!"

The door opened again and Steve entered.

"Mike- Chief! We just had a call. The highway patrol stopped Wells' car. Forensics are working on the car already but Haseejian wanted to know if at least one of you wanted to be there for the questioning. "

He stopped his narrative when he noticed something unexpected. As opposed to the two older men, he watched the monitors Ed was hooked up to rather than the man in the hospital bed and he was confused.

"How about it, Bob? Do you want to stay here?"

Ironside hesitated, remembering what he had said to Mike a few days ago.

"I suppose our youngsters can stay here. Let's go, Mike, Ed needs his rest anyhow."

Steve pretended to bend down, looking for something on the floor. "Sorry, I won't be a minute. I dropped my wallet."

Neither Mike nor Ironside paid much heed to his mumblings, but as soon as the door closed, he straightened up again.

"Hey, Ed, they're gone, it is safe to open your eyes now!"

His wide grin was mirrored with a somewhat weaker version on Ed's face, when his brown eyes opened …


	10. Chapter 10

_**Chapter 10**_

Steve didn't have the heart to keep the good news from Ed's worried friends for much longer, although he had promised the patient faithfully that he would keep him safe from all fussing. But as soon as Mike and Ironside saw him coming out of Ed's room - beaming widely - with a doctor and a nurse rushing in, they guessed - or maybe detected - what must have happened.

"Bob, do you want to go in and speak with him?" Mike asked immediately.

Ironside snorted. "Later will do, we'd better get on with our job. The youngsters can stay here with Ed."

In spite of what he had just said, he wheeled himself back towards Ed's room, peeked in and said in a mock gruff voice: "Brown, you'd better make the most out of this! How often do you think you'll get paid for sleeping on the job?" Then he added: "Take the day off tomorrow!"

With this parting remark he closed the door and rolled in the direction of the elevator. Eve and Mark agreed readily to stay in the hospital for the remainder of the night and update Ironside on Ed's progress regularly.

Mike looked at Steve and realised that his protégé had something else in mind. "What about you?"

"I'd like to come with you, Mike. I've …" Steve started but was interrupted by Mike.

"Bob, I think what he wants to say is that he'd like to watch you in action, you know, interrogating a suspect. He never had the chance to witness that yet." He fixed Steve with a steely glare.

Steve got the message and aborted his original sentence and mumbled something in the affirmative, although he had planned on asking Pete a few questions himself.

Steve exchanged car keys with Mark and headed off to retrieve Ironside's van from the parking lot. Ironside looked at Mike with some doubt on his face, but Mike smiled reassuringly. "If it has wheels, the kid can drive it. Ever since Steve started working with me, I have more or less handed over the car keys to him."

Much to Ironside's surprise, they arrived at the Hall of Justice in one piece without a single dent in the van.

Haseejian had the interrogation room ready and Peter Wells was sitting at the table, guarded by Sekulovic. Before they went in, Norm Haseejian informed them that the suspect had been read his rights and was aware that the interview was going to be recorded.

Wells' head turned when he heard the door opening; all colour left his face when he recognised the person walking in behind Ironside and Stone. Without thinking he shouted, "Will I never get rid of you, Keller? There is no way you could have survived the dose I gave you!"

Ironside nodded sadly. This was going to be easier than he had expected; the culprit was so shaken that it would be easy enough to trick him into a confession. This was not exactly the type of interrogation from where the Kid Detective could pick up some hints. Ah well, it might take some skill to get a confession for the earlier murders though.

Ironside wheeled his chair directly opposite to where Wells was sitting, the table between them, and Mike Stone next to him. Then the Chief asked Keller to put his chair behind his, to signify he had officially nothing to do with the interrogation, although he was in plain view of Pete Wells all the time.

After the rash remark Wells remained silent for a while, but the looks he shot Steve were positively murderous. Mike glanced at his partner surreptitiously. He hoped that the young man could rein in his temper and keep out of Ironside's way.

As Wells refused to say another word, Ironside started to recap the situation.

"As you must be aware of now, Mr. Wells, you have admitted to an attempted murder, wittingly or unwittingly, in front of witnesses and recorded on tape. So, whatever you say about this accusation, you really can't make it worse. I know you are an intelligent man, and I must say I admire the plan you came up with. You dispose of the lady friend and frame the boyfriend, so nobody suspects a second murder but buys that the boyfriend took an overdose." Ironside managed to put some fake admiration into his voice.

Pete was sweating profusely now and was getting more and more agitated every time he looked at Steve. The Chief knew about the history of the two men going back to high school and he decided to make use of it. He could tell that Wells was a sick man, poisoned by hatred bottled up for too many years: a damaged character suffering from rebuffs and slights, real or imagined. A man who needed help, maybe, but a very dangerous man as he had proven himself to be earlier on this evening. So dangerous, that even a good cop like Ed Brown, who Ironside himself had trained over many years, had been almost killed.

Ironside put these thoughts aside and fully concentrated on the task ahead.

"You really did so well, Pete, you could have got away with it all, if it wasn't for Steve here, isn't it?" Ironside's voice was laced with sympathy.

Wells looked him in the eyes, too confused even to consider a trick.

Ironside went on: "Wasn't he always there, always in the way, always got what he wanted? It's all his fault, isn't it? Even in high school, he only pretended to be nice to you but was laughing at you behind your back and when he survived the car accident, you had to put your revenge plans on ice for too long. You had to wait all these endless years to get even."

Apart from a murderous look directed at Steve, Ironside still didn't get any rise out of Wells.

"And isn't it his fault that Rosie had to die, too? He and these other men who thought they could steal your girls. Of course you had to punish them, and you had to get even with all the high school bullies, too. You got Ralph Watson and Grimes and …" he paused to consult his notes and casually flicked through the thick file in front of him, making sure that Wells noticed it.

Without warning Wells jumped up and lunged himself across the table towards Steve, but he had underestimated the wheelchair bound detective. Ironside stretched out one powerful arm and stopped the attack, while Sekulovic grabbed Wells' arms and cuffed him.

"He's right; it's all your fault! You made me kill them. I had to shoot poor Rosie because you wouldn't leave her alone. You were worse than Watson and Grimes and all of them at school, you pretended to be nice…"

Wells kept shouting and screaming, begging Ironside to listen to his story. "I'll tell you all, just get him out of my sight!"

Ironside nodded at Mike who led Steve out of the interrogation room and beckoned Norm to go in instead. He pushed Steve gently on a chair and handed him a glass of water.

"Are you okay?" Mike sat on a chair next to him, watching him closely. To his surprise Steve, didn't appear to be shaken at all. On the contrary, there was a gleam in his eyes that Mike didn't like at all.

"I certainly learned something new about interrogation techniques." The young man seemed lost in thought, as if he was contemplating all kinds of ideas, none of which Mike reckoned he would approve.

Steve looked at his mentor with a slightly guilty expression on his face and quickly added. "I mean, it was a good idea and he used psychology…" he smiled and then added generously. "But I know that you would have cracked him equally fast!"

About an hour later, Ironside wheeled himself out of the interview room. Wells was led away by the uniformed policeman and the parting glance he shot at Steve still held enough venom to kill.

"He admitted to all murders, including the high school killing of Ralph Watson and an attempted murder of Steve Keller then and now and the hit and run of Ed Brown. If he is ever declared fit to be tried for murder is a different question, but wherever he is heading, he will be there for a long time!" The Chief informed, satisfied about a job well done.

Mike addressed Steve, before he could say something to Ironside. "Steve, would you go into my office and make a call to the hospital to check how Ed is doing? We haven't heard from Mark and Eve for ages." He winked. "I bet they have fallen asleep again!"

With Steve out of earshot, he challenged his long-time friend. "Now Bob, was that really necessary? When I asked you to give Steve a lesson in interrogation methods I didn't mean to put dangerous ideas in his head. The young hotshot will barge ahead and try it all out now!"

Ironside smiled one of his rare smiles. "Dangerous? With you around protecting him like a lioness her cub? Don't be ridiculous, my friend!"


	11. Chapter 11

_**A/N: ... and the story comes to an end!**_

_**Thank you for following, reading and reviewing, it is much appreciated. Hopefully there will be another SOSF/Ironside Crossover in the future.**_

_**Epilogue**_

The following day Ironside headed for the hospital to visit and – maybe - get Ed Brown released. He was accompanied by Mike Stone who acted as his driver, in the absence of Mark, who was busy at school and Eve, who stayed with her family for a day or two.

"Where is the kid detective?" Ironside asked. "We could have done with him as a driver today."

Mike stifled a laugh. "So you acknowledge that he is the better driver of us two?" He carefully manoeuvred the van into a spot in the parking lot of the hospital.

"Don't tell me you've given him the day off," the Chief scolded. He didn't find it necessary to reply to Mike's question.

"He certainly could have done with a day, but he couldn't wait to come back to work after his death leave." Mike chuckled at his own joke. "He told me that he just had one urgent call to make and then he'd be back."

The two of them approached Ed Brown's room. The door was half open and through the gap they saw Ed, propped up on some pillows looking decidedly better. Some colour had returned to his face and the bandage had been replaced by a discreet dressing. He was in an animated conversation with another young man; dark brown and light brown heads close together.

"So that was his urgent business!" Mike said under his breath. He wheeled Ironside's chair closer to the door ready to go in, but the Chief stopped him and put on the brakes of his wheelchair.

"Wait a minute; I just want to hear what the two of them are cackling about!" he hissed under his breath.

Mike grinned and whispered. "Yep, and if the jokes are dirty we'll descend upon them and watch them blush!"

"Really, Ed, I never thought you had it in you to be so deceitful! You certainly had everybody fooled…"

Ironside and Stone exchanged a puzzled look.

"What I meant to ask you, how did you guess I was really awake?" Ed sounded perplexed. All the time it had been bothering him how Steve had figured out he was only pretending to be still unconscious.

"Now, while the wise old men were staring into your face looking for a sign of life, I looked at the monitors. All readings were completely normal, not like the first time I managed to peek into your room when nobody was looking."

"Clever!" Ed admitted. "I never thought of that."

Steve asked the question that both Ironside and Mike wanted to ask, too. "But Ed, why did you keep up the sleeping beauty act?"

Ed looked at Steve questioningly. "Wouldn't you?"

Steve giggled, "With the Chief at my bedside, I would even pretend to be dead!"

Ironside proceeded towards the door but Mike Stone stopped him, holding on to the wheelchair, and for a few seconds they struggled to gain control over the chair. "Wait, this is too good, let them dig themselves in deeper, then we pounce!"

The Chief nodded in agreement, a grin spreading over his face. Mike assumed that the detective was working on some revenge plan directed against the younger generation.

Steve Keller grew serious all of a sudden and continued: "But with Mike at my bedside I wouldn't do it, I just couldn't let him worry unnecessarily for even a minute!"

"I guess so. Your boss is rather protective of you." Ed hesitated before he spoke again. "Don't you sometimes find him rather-err- overbearing?"

Steve laughed. "But that's the way Mike is! Stone? More like a soft comfort blanket."

This time Mike struggled against the brakes of the wheelchair.

"Wait, we haven't heard Ed's explanation yet." Ironside whispered and Mike relented his efforts to move the chair.

Steve grew serious again and resumed talking. "I didn't have a lot of parenting in my life, so…" his voice trailed off and he resumed in a more upbeat tone. "You still haven't answered my question, man!"

Ed looked quite uncomfortable, but felt he owed his Steve the truth after his personal revelation. "Umm, in a way I did it out of concern, really. I didn't want to embarrass him, you know!"

The two older detectives looked at each other; they didn't need to say a word. Mike noiselessly wheeled the chair back a bit, and then the two of them started a loud conversation as they approached the door a second time…


End file.
